Marketing Strategies for Competitive advantage

Marketing Strategies for
Competitive advantage

Question 1: Discuss the
positioning strategy. In your answer, discuss the forces that help a firm to
develop and deploy a positioning strategy.(200 words)

Question 2: Research the below two
major research firms:

– Gfk AG Nuremburg, Germany,
gfk.com

– West Inc. Rockville, Md,
westat.com

Discuss your findings in terms of
their research services and special study capabilities. Also, discuss the ways
in which such services can impact on marketing decisions. (200 words)

Question 3: Explain what goes into
determining positioning effectiveness. (200 words)

Question 4: Compare and contrast
the dynamics that influence the emerging, growth, and mature markets. How do
they help a firm to craft a market target strategy in each? (200 words)

Question 5: Discuss the impact
that IBM’s collaborative innovation strategy can have on its partners, as well
as on Microsoft. How can IBM’s strategy affect the market? (200 words)

Question 6: Identify three
problems or risks companies may encounter in collaborative relationships with
suppliers. In your estimation, how can these risks be minimized? (200 words)

Question 7: Visit the website
www.alliancestrategy.com and review the various presentations available through
the site. Summarize what factors should be considered in making alliances
between organization effective. (200 words)

Question 8: Discuss how it can be
possible for Costco wholesale to perform well against competitors when it
carries a burden of higher labor costs? Are there issues in this case which may
be worth considering in other situations where a company faces strong low-cost,
low-price competitors? (200 words)

Question 9: Discuss the emerging
issue of the digital distribution channel occurring in markets in which the
product can be converted to digital format. (200 words)

Question 10: Examine the Fortune
Brands website (www.fortunebrands.com). Analyze and evaluate the strategic
initiatives used by Fortune Brands in their strategic brand management. (200
words)

Question 11: Discuss the useful
insights about brand strategy management from observing brands that have been
successful over a long period of time. (200 words)

Question 12: In the late 1990s,
Radio Shack initiated co-branding strategies with Compaq Computer and SPRINT.
Discuss the logic of such a strategy. In your answer include the strengths and
shortcomings of such a strategy. (200 words)

Question 13: Discuss the pricing
implications for developed countries when competing against Chinese brands. In
your answer, discuss the actions that you would recommend for China’s
competitors. (200 words)

Question 14: Discuss predatory
pricing as a pricing strategy. What are the circumstances when you would
recommend that a company adopt predatory pricing? Does predatory pricing come
into play when considering ethical issues like the cost of prescription drugs
and the low pricing of cigarettes in the developing world? (200 words)